Love and Deception
by SamboSmitty
Summary: In their seventh year at Hogwarts an unlikely love sprouts between an unlikely couple. A war between good and evil wages with the two at its center. Will it demolish all hopes of Hermione and Draco's future? Or will love truly conquer all?
1. Chapter 1

**All Mixed Up**

Hermione woke up with a scream. She had just had the same dream that had been haunting her all summer. Usually the dream never lasted very long, but it was different this time. She had been waking every morning with the same ghastly feeling. Never remembering the dream was quite frustrating like trying to hold water in your hands while it always seeped through the spaces in your fingers. There was an inkling of remembrance today, so before it could fade Hermione put her face in her hands. She wanted to block out any sunlight escaping from her blinds so she pressed harder. She tried to go back to the dream as crazy as it sounded. At first it was a bit vague, but she managed to grab a hold of it. It wasn't easy and a small pounding started at the back of her head, promising a horrific headache. Still, she pressed her mind to go further back into the dream where it had begun at Hogwarts.

_She was standing in front of the Gryffindor Common Room. She glanced about the room were Gryffindors were no doubt celebrating a winning victory at Quidditch. Hermione smiled as she watched everyone beaming at Harry who had obviously caught the Snitch winning the game against Hufflepuff 250 to 0. She began make her way to congratulate when the room shone with a blinding light. Covering her eyes from the light Hermione crouched in fear. The light began to fade in its brilliance enabling Hermione to remove her hand from her face. It was still bright, but not enough to cover, only to squint. Hermione gasped when she saw what the bright light was spotted on. Ginny Weasley stood in front of her clothes shredded and stained with blood. Her face was bruised badly, her nose two times its original size, and blood flowed from various cuts. Her normally ginger hair was a dark red as blood also clotted her skull. A finger crooked to the wall opposite the fire place looked as if it had been broken. She was completely unrecognizable except for the necklace that was placed around her neck. It was the necklace that Hermione had given her for her 16th birthday. _

_"Ginny?" Hermione asked in a slight whimper. The bright seemed to fade a little more while turning more of a red color. It set an eerie mood to the common room. Thunder and lighting could be seen and heard from the window behind Ginny, as large raindrops pounded their way against it. _

_With an awful jerk and a shuffle Ginny began making her way towards Hermione. It was utterly terrifying watching the jerking motion which was completely inhuman. She suppressed a tiny squeak and turned to run, but her feet were stuck in place. She frantically tried to move her feet, but she became weak faster and faster. By then Ginny was now a few feet in front of her, then suddenly she stopped never lowering that crooked finger. Ginny's mouth opened and a screeching sound filled the room. Hermione covered her ears, but as soon as it had started it stopped. As she lowered her hands Ginny spoke in an unnatural voice._

_"Walk the way and you shall find what you seek. Hurry for time is of the essence. Beware your heart for it lies where it should not. It is your key. Do not stray from the path or death will find you." Hermione stood bewildered at the words. She let out another shriek as Ginny's body began to convulse. Her body was still and then Ginny launched forwards grabbing Hermione by the shoulders. She took a loud breath of air, "You must save him. Save Harry, Hermione. If you do not you will die. Be wary of…" Ginny was cut off as the room shook with a silent ferocity. Ginny looked at Hermione in fear and spoke once more. "I must go. He comes. Do not let him die!" With that final word Ginny disappeared as did the Common Room._

_Crying in fear Hermione looked around her. Where ever she was it was dark, unpromising and very cold. The walls were made of stone and covered in a white substance. Hesitantly testing to see if she could move she lifted her leg and stepped towards the walls, finding that she could. With a sigh of relief she examined the white stuff on the walls. She recognized it as niter. It was used in the old days to help with the stench dead bodies gave off. Hermione shivered as she realized that she was in a catacomb. The cold, moist atmosphere gave off a spine-chilling feeling. Holding herself, Hermione looked for an exit. There were only two long corridors. One, to the left, looked promising, but to the right, the corridor looked extensive, and had collected more niter over the years. It took her no time to come to a decision. She walked hastily towards the left corridor. As she walked further and further it got colder and the air became damper. It felt like she had been walking for an hour, but a quick glance at her watch told her that it had only been five minutes. Hermione sniffed when she began having reservations. Maybe it would have been a better idea if she had gone the other way. There was no ending in site to this one as far as she could tell. She was about to go back the way she had come when she saw a light. It looked like it was coming from a doorway just a few feet away. It flickered slightly which meant that it was probably a candle. Hermione gave up on going back as everything in her was drawn to the light._

_She reached the door and was about to reach for the doorknob when she noticed the elaborate drawings that were carved into the door. They looked like symbols of some sort. She traced a heart with her finger and didn't give it another thought. Hermione put her ear to the door. Silence hung heavy. She considered whether she should enter. On the whole it was a bad idea to go into a room she knew nothing about. Hermione carefully measured the consequences. After all she was a woman of reasoning. If she opened the door there could be someone or something that could kill her. The again, could she take never knowing was on the other side of the door? Without so much as a look back, Hermione opened the door._

_At first, she didn't see anything. Her eyes burned at the sudden change in lighting and it took a moment for her eyes to focus. Once the pain had subsided she took a quick look around the room. It appeared to be a dungeon of some sort. There was a table of different surgical items that laid out. They looked bloody. Hermione felt bile rise in her throat as she put her hand to her mouth. Next to the table leaning against a stone wall sat Harry and Ron. Hermione gasped noticing that Harry was still alive, but Ron laid lifeless next to him. She hastily ran over to Ron. She knelt down before him and took his pulse. She cringed when she didn't find one. _

_"Noooo!" She screamed. Words could not express the pain that Hermione felt at that very moment. How would she ever go on without him? "Ron come on! Wake up!" She shook him until her limbs felt weak all the while knowing that he was truly gone for good._

_"Hermione. He's dead. He's been that way for over 20 minutes. I tried…I-I-I couldn't save him. I'm so sorry." Harry told her weakly hanging his head so that his chin was touching his chest._

_Hermione turned her attention to her last remaining friend. She looked him over found a blood stain coming through his shirt on the left side of his chest. Unbuttoning his shirt, she peeled it back and suppressed a cry when she saw a two inch stab wound that no doubt had penetrated his heart. Harry had been bleeding to death for a long time. Time enough to watch his best friend die. She bent down and hugged Harry tightly being careful not to cause him any more pain. Within minutes he had died in her arms. Hermione sat there rocking Harry's body back forth all the while sobbing into his hair._

_"I'm sorry, Hermione." Came a familiar voice. It was Malfoy. He had appeared behind her coming in through the door way. A surge of anger went through her that came from deep within her._

_"You did this! You did this to them. You hated Harry. You killed my friends, you bastard." Hermione stumbled towards Malfoy beating him in the chest with her fists. Malfoy stood taking the pounding. Some how deep in her heart she knew that it wasn't Malfoy, but she needed something to take her anger out on. She had come to late. Some how she could have saved them both. After moments had gone by Hermione slumped to the floor balling. Malfoy knelt beside her and wrapped her in his arms. She threw her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. _

Hermione took her hands away from her face. She had tears welling behind her eyes and her clothes were drenched with sweat. She knew that it was only a dream, but it had seemed so real. Hermione cringed at the memory. Not wanting to dwell on it anymore she went to the bathroom and took a shower.

She had grown a lot in the last year. Her complexion was a milky white and her lips were a full vibrant red. Her hair was no longer bushy, but had tamed out. Her hair consisted of beautiful . soft curls that fell to her shoulders. Her body had also taken a new shape. Gone was her stick like figure and it was replaced with voluptuous curves. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror and was please with what she saw.

It was the summer of her seventh year at Hogwarts. She had been made Head Girl and was excited to hear who would be the Head Boy. She had sent an owl to both Ron and Harry earlier in the summer, but only to find that they both were not. She did not know who the Heady Boy could possibly be if it was Harry or Ron. Perhaps it was someone in Ravenclaw. She knew that it couldn't possibly be anyone from Slytherin. Draco Malfoy. The thought of him sent shivers down her spine, remembering the way he had held her in her dream. The way that she had liked it. It was almost enough to make her sick. Hermione put the thought away, it was best not to think about that dream anymore. She would be meeting Ron and Harry at Diagon Alley today. She would feel much better once she was with her friends again. But still there was something more to this dream than she knew. She had a very bad feeling about this year at Hogwarts.

"Oh, Harry! Ron! It's so good to see you." Hermione exclaimed, running and giving both of them very big hugs.

"Whoa! Hermione, let off a bit, I can't breathe!" Gasped Ron, exaggerating.

Hermione let go of Ron and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Ron turned a deep red as she moved on to give Harry his kiss. "Jeez Hermione, it's not like we died." Joked Harry. "We were only gone for the summer." He finished. Hermione briefly thought back to the real-like dream she had that morning. She quickly rejected it from her thoughts. She just smiled back at Harry and Ron saying nothing.

An hour and a half later they walked out of Flourish and Blotts equipped with all they needed for their seventh year at Hogwarts. Laughing and talking of old times they walked in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron when they spotted Malfoy and his cronies. Ron looked totally disgusted and Harry looked like he was about to pounce. In their previous year, Harry had tried to sort things out with Cho, but only to find out that she had been dating Malfoy. This disgusted Harry and had demolished all hopes of the two ever dating. Hermione was rather glad because she never had liked Cho all that much. She didn't want to tell Harry because it was really none of her business who he dated. After all, he hated said anything about Viktor. Hermione seriously hoped that Harry and Ginny would one day date, but she was sure that Ginny did not like him anymore. Malfoy had not seen them yet, so this gave Hermione a chance to look at him without him noticing her.

Draco had grown taller and had become much more built during the summer. He still had his platinum blonde hair and that same pale face, but his features had matured and he was extremely handsome. In the time that she was standing there watching him she didn't look at him as the hateful, muggle hating, Slytherin, but as a girl does a guy that she likes. Hermione had to quickly look away when she saw Draco turn towards her, Harry and Ron. She looked down embarrassed at being caught staring. Wait a minute! She had not only been staring. She had been checking him out and LIKING what she saw. The way he walked and made sure that everyone knew he was there. There she was doing it again! She blushed a deeper shade of red. And what was that she was calling him? Had she been calling him Draco? She couldn't remember, she didn't want to remember. She couldn't believe what she had been thinking.

Malfoy had been getting closer to the group of friends as Hermione contemplated on what she was thinking about. Hermione could not yet look at Malfoy as he made his way over to them, bust she was unusually drawn to him. When she had finally got her cool she managed to look up at him. She couldn't believe how good he looked. She wished she wasn't thinking this. This is Draco for God sakes! There she went again calling him Draco.

'Malfoy, his name is Malfoy!' She told herself strictly. 'Just admit it. He looks good. Real good!' Her inner voice replied once more.

'No! How can I do that? I've hated him ever since I met him. How can I say that I think he's very, very, attractive?' Hermione questioned back to herself.

'Well, you just did, dear.' It retorted.

Hermione couldn't believe it. She was attracted to Malfoy. She put her hand to her forehead and rubbed it as if she had a headache. Malfoy was now right in front of the group. He stood there smirking as usual.

"Well, Granger I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be checking me out." Malfoy commented.

"Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy." Hermione said cruelly. Now that sounded like her old self, but why did her insides feel like they were doing summersaults and why was her heart beating fast?

Malfoy smirked again. "I wouldn't blame you, Granger. It looks as if puberty was good to you too." He added with a smile that almost made Hermione faint.

Hermione once again blushed. It was hard to accept as true that he had complemented her. Well, kind of. It was a rude remark, but obviously he had noticed her. She suddenly felt a twinge of happiness pass through her veins. She got back her composure and spoke.

"Looks like I'm not the only one staring am I, Malfoy?" She heard Ron snort behind her and Harry let out a small laugh. It was now Malfoy's turn to blush.

"I didn't…I was…You better watch it mudblood. You too Potter and Weasly. This year is mine." And with that he was gone with his faithful sidekicks right on his heels. Hermione felt sad at his sudden departure, wanting to fight more with him. She felt thrilled at their combat. She realized that she had always liked standing up to him. She thought that it was because she hated him so much, but it felt like something more. She had not noticed it until now that she always like him in his own sort of way. He was smart, and very cunning, but he was so evil. His Father was a known Death Eater and was currently on the run from the Ministry of Magic. Hermione pondered her last statement. Should someone be judged by their parents? Should they be judged on the fact that they were brought up like this and then be punished for it? Hermione didn't know the answers. She was still in denial of the fact that she liked Malfoy. A lot of weird things were happening today. First she saw Ginny the Bloody Prophet, Ron and Harry dead, then she was being held by Malfoy, and if things couldn't get worse she had found that she was attracted to Malfoy. Hermione sighed and turned to walk down Diagon Alley. While Hermione was in deep thought Harry and Ron had been exchanging worried glances.

"Umm…Hermione, are you okay? You seem off today. I've never seen you bandy words with Malfoy like that." Asked Harry.

"Don't be silly, Harry. I've stood up to Malfoy plenty of times." Hermione didn't really hear Harry until she heard him mention Malfoy's name. She had been again wondering why all of a sudden she liked Malfoy. Then it hit her. Duh! It was her dream. She had felt towards Malfoy in her dream and that dream was still fresh in her mind and that would explain the reason why she had liked him today. She couldn't believe that she thought she had actually like him. It was all so funny now. Hermione laughed to herself. What a day, what a day, she told herself.

When they got in the Leaky Cauldron they sat down at a table. Hermione didn't see the waitress come and ask her what she would like. She couldn't get Malfoy off her mind. Wait, this is ridiculous, she told herself. She couldn't believe that she was still thinking of him.

"Hermione? Are you paying attention?" Asked Ron.

"What, oh yes. Sorry, I just got lost in thought." She said very blankly.

Harry and Ron exchanged apprehensive glances. She saw them and spoke again. "Listen guys, I 'm fine. It's just that I couldn't sleep last night and I guess that I'm still a little tired." She lied to them. Now what was she doing? She lying to her best friends. She needed to get away for a moment and recollect herself. She thought up an object that she had forgotten to buy and told them that she would meet them in an hour.

Hermione took herself away from the Leaky Cauldron and back into Diagon Alley. She was walking with her head down and talking to herself out loud. Hermione was so wrapped up in her own world that she ran into something solid. It was a person! She fell on her butt with a loud thump. She cursed under her breath. She started to get up when a hand found her arm and helped her up. Hermione looked up at her helper and was taken aback. "Malfoy?" She said in a state of shock.

Malfoy smirked. He'd known it was Granger, but he'd still helped her up. He didn't know what was wrong with him. "Next time watch where you're going, Granger." He said it not as hateful as he normally would have said it.

Hermione stared at him in disbelief. He had helped her up. Maybe he didn't know who she was at first, but why isn't he his normal rude self. Hermione got her thoughts together. "Why did you help me up?" She asked brushing her clothes off.

Malfoy seemed surprised at her question. "Don't think that I wanted to, Granger. I didn't see it was you until after I had helped you. I'm not always a prick." He said with a curve of his lips.

"Oh." Was all that she could think to say. Hermione looked around where they were standing. There was no Crabbe or Goyle to be found. She thought that she should insult him just so she could still talk to him. She did not want to admit that to herself. "Where are your groupies? No doubt there like lost puppies without you." She said cruelly.

Instead of saying something back all he did was smile. Hermione was excited and scared by that smile. Malfoy started coming closer to her. She felt her hands tremble and her heart start to race. What was he doing?

"What…What are you doing?" Her voice faltered as she spoke.

"Well, since my _groupies_ aren't here, I though that I might give you something you want." He told her in a seductive voice that made her knees shake.

Hermione felt as if she would faint. She knew what he meant, but for some reason she was going to play stupid. "What do you mean? You don't know anything that I want." She told him defensively her voice coming out hoarse.

"Granger, you need to learn to hide your feelings. I can see it in your face that you want me." He only meant to come close enough to fully unhinge her, but now that she was inches from him he couldn't help but want to be closer. She was drawing him in. As she stood there, he took his time to look over her. She had grown beautiful, for a mudblood. He found her enticingly sexy. He reminded himself of what she was, but he didn't seem to be listening. When he was close enough, so close that there noses were almost touching, he put his lips to her ear.

"I know you want me. There's no point denying." Draco brought his head back and brought it down to her lips. When their lips touched a surge of desire ran through the both of them. By this time both had stopped trying to resist. Draco pushed her into an alley way where they were out of sight. He brought her hands up over her head and kissed her passionately. Draco used his free hand to run it up and down her waist. A groan escaped his mouth as he pressed himself up against her.

Matching him she moved her hips against him. Hermione was in heaven. Draco kissing her made her whole body shake with pleasure. Every now and then a moan would escape her lips. Draco brought his lips to her collarbone and she tilted her head in response.

He brought his lips to her ear again and whispered, "You're so lucky just to get a little taste of me." And with that he was off. Hermione was left in a state of pleasure and disgust. How could she let herself do this? How could she let him do this to her? Hermione was disappointed in herself. She was only infatuated with Draco and that was it. She let him belittle her. Did she really think that little of herself to let him touch her? Hermione looked at her watch to find that she had five minutes to get back to Ron and Harry in the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione straightened her shirt and her hair and walked out of the alleyway making her way towards the Leaky Cauldron.


	2. Chapter 2

The Unexpected

It was a rainy night, the night of the trip to Hogwarts. The weather depicted how Hermione felt. It had been three long and restless weeks since she the encounter she had had with Malfoy, but the way he had made her feel still lingered in her memory. She'd been keeping herself busy by trying to arrange the Gryffindor Trio's days. It was easier now than when she was not at the Burrow. When she finally go there she made sure that they all had something to do every second of every day. There was a lot of complaining, but she was head strong. The real problem was at night. When she would get in her bed and lay her head on the pillow, she wouldn't fall asleep right away. She never did. All the thoughts she tried keep away during the day would present themselves as soon as she was under the covers.

There were many things that Hermione did not want to think about, one of them being the dream she had only a month ago. The other was to be expected, Malfoy. She should be so ashamed of herself. Her Mother had warned her about men like Malfoy. She should be disgusted with Malfoy and hate him, but she couldn't. There was just something that she couldn't quite place. Something that her heart seemed to tug at. She wanted to see Malfoy even more now. The way that his arms had felt around her. She wondered if he thought about her. That was a stupid thought. Malfoy didn't care if she was alive or dead. He was only having a little fun that day in Diagon Alley. She was stupid to even think of Malfoy liking her. At all!

Hermione got up in the middle of the night, throwing her blankets off stood by an open window in Ginny's room. Hermione felt the breeze caress her face. It was cool breeze that reached deep down into Hermione's pining heart. She didn't know why she was making a big deal about it. That was a lie. She did know why, but she wasn't going to admit it to herself. Not yet, anyway. She knew what the agony in her heart was saying. It was still raining and Hermione could feel the rain on her face as it blended in with her tears. She heard Ginny roll over on her bed. Hermione quickly wiped her tears away.

"Hermione is that you?" Asked Ginny, straining her eyes in the dark.

"Yeah. Go back to bed." Hermione told her.

"Ginny looked at Hermione once her eyes had focused. "Are you alright? I can't see, but it looks like you've been crying."

"No, it's raining out. I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep that's all." Hermione replied.

"Don't worry about him." Said Ginny as she rolled over on to her side and quickly fell back asleep.

Hermione stood by the window just starting after Ginny. Did she know about her feelings? Or did Ginny just think that she had a fight with Harry or Ron. Hermione remembered the way Ginny had looked in her dream. She shivered and closed her eyes.

Hermione sighed, there was no way that Ginny could possibly know about her feelings for Draco. Or was there? She decided not to think about it anymore and got up and made her way to her bed. She pulled back the sheets and climbed in. It seemed like a lifetime before she could fall asleep. Her mind was swimming with images of Hogwarts suddenly being consumed in a blinding light and Ginny crooking her finger towards the wall in the Common Room, when she was wakened by the sounds of screams. Hermione burst upright and looked around. She had to steady herself as a wave of nausea caught up with her. When her eyes adjusted to the dark she noticed that Ginny was out of her bed and the door stood ajar. Trying to stay calm and not jump to conclusions, Hermione she got out of bed and put her robe and slippers on before walking out of the room. She looked down the hallway, but everything seemed normal. There was a smell in the air that Hermione couldn't place. That was what had caused her to feel sick when she had woke up. Hermione took a big whiff, coughed and gagged when she realized what it was. It was the smell of death. Hermione took out her wand and carefully walked the length of the hallway. When she came to the staircase she heard voices coming from below.

"We've got a girl and three boys all ready to be taken back, my Lord." Said a haughty voice.

"Is Harry Potter one of them?" Hermione shivered as the man talked. His voice went deep into her bones and turned her blood cold. There was only one person who had that effect on people. It was none other than Lord Voldemort.

"I don't think so, my Lord. Some of the others who were in the house made sure he got away." The other voice said. "There was nothing we could do." He added. Hermione knew who this voice belonged to. The arrogance shown through, so it was only possible that it was Lucius Malfoy. They were no doubt looking for Harry. Thank God they had not found him, but they had captured some, but who? She hoped that they were still alive but she doubted that Voldemort would keep anyone alive. But there was still hope, she had to have faith. The only thing for her to do was to help them escape. But, how could she go up against Voldemort?

"Idiot! I knew that I could not trust an imbecile like you to do an easy task like this!" Voldemort fumed. "What I want you to do is to take the prisoners to our lair and bind them to the chairs I have put there. I _hope_ that I will be able to trust you with a task as simple as this, Lucius." His last statement was deep with apparent threats.

"Of course, my Lord." He said and turned into the living room.

Hermione sighed in relief as she heard them talking about her friend who were still alive. Well, at least four of them were. Hermione watched Voldemort disapparte. She plucked up all her courage and walked down the stairs slowly and quietly. It felt weird actually being the one saving her friends when usually it was Harry who was saving her. She skipped the last stair knowing that it was the one that creaked. If she could only just sneak up behind Lucius, then she could hit him with a stunning spell. Hermione got braced herself silently and peeked her head around the corner into the living room.

Lucius was standing over Ginny, Ron, George and Fred. Ginny, Ron and Fred were out cold and tied up on the floor. Hermione took a quick look at Ginny, but she wasn't bloody like she was in her dream. Hermione said a silent prayer and then turned her attention to George. He was putting up quite a struggle. Every time Lucius tried to hit him with a stunning spell he would lean to the other side of his chair that he was tied up to. Either George was working some kind of magic or Lucius was just tired because he was having a hard time stunning George. Hermione knew that this would be her only chance to attack. She stepped quietly out from behind the corner and raised her wand.

"Stupify!" She bellowed. Lucius turned around as soon as he heard her scream and raised his wand. It looked as if he was going to block the spell when George threw himself at his back causing Lucius to be propelled right into Hermione's spell. Lucius dropped to the floor with a loud thud and a second thud as George hit the ground with such force that the chair broke and he was free.

Hermione ran over to him to check if he was ok. "Are you alright, George?"

With a groan from the pain he raised himself off the ground. "Peachy. Thanks. You save us from right state." He said with a look of gratitude.

Hermione smiled and pulled her attention to the others who were still stunned. "What happened here?" She asked George as she said the counter curse to unstun everyone.

"I don't know. All I remember was hearing someone scream and then waking up and finding someone stun me as soon as I opened my eyes. Maybe the others will know more." He said with a fearful look at Ginny slowly waking up.

When everyone was awake and untied they started to ask questions about what had happened. Fred had been stunned just before George, but only George had woken up down in the living room. Ginny had woken up when she heard Harry screaming for everyone to get out. She had made it down the stairs where she was then stunned. She apologized profusely to Hermione for not waking her up. She was just too scared to think. Ron kept quiet the whole time. When Hermione asked him what had happened to him he broke into sobs.

"Dad came in and got us. He told us that we had to get up. Said that Mom was getting the girls. Harry and I got out of bed and followed him halfway down the stairs when Lucius stunned Dad. Harry and I pushed past him and ran the rest of the way down while he shot spells after us. We ran to the back door. When I turned around a person…or something came out of the shadows and grabbed Harry. It was dressed in all black. It was so dark I didn't see its face. It took him…and it was gone. I just stood there. I let him be taken by whatever that thing was. I was still in shock when I got hit in the back with a stunning spell. I just let him…" Hermione sat down by Ron and put her arms around him.

"It wasn't your fault, Ron. There was nothing you could have done." Hermione told him.

"I could have cast a spell. But I just stood there and let it happen." He buried his head in Hermione's neck.

"Listen Ron. It wasn't you fault. None of this is our fault. When I came out of my room I heard Voldemort…" Ginny gasped and the other Weasley's flinched, but Hermione went on, "talking to Lucius. They said that they hadn't caught Harry. That they only caught a girl and three boys."

"Do you think they were telling the truth?" Ginny said with her down on her knees.

"I'm not sure, but I don't see why they would lie to each other. When Lucius said that he didn't catch Harry Voldemort had a cow." Hermione replied remembering all to well.

"They could've known that you were there and they were just covering it up." Chimed in Ron.

"That doesn't make sense though. They would have killed me if they knew I was there. Why would they cover it up anyway? Wouldn't they want us to know they had Harry?" Hermione seemed to be lost in thought when she realized something. "Oh my God! Ron didn't you say that Lucius stunned your Dad on the steps?"

"Yeah, but he rolled down afterwards I think." Ron said.

"Do you think he's still there? I mean I saw Voldemort leave and Lucius is out cold. Unless there were other Death Eaters here then your Mom and Dad might still be in the house." Hermione stated.

All of them got up quickly and ran to the staircase. Sure enough Mr. Weasley was curled up by the edge of the staircase. It was amazing how Hermione missed stepping on him. His leg was bent up in a most unusual way that would only be possible if you were double jointed or if you'd broken your leg. Assuming that Mr. Weasley wasn't an acrobat she knew that he had broken his leg in the fall. George and Fred went over to their Dad and checked his pulse. They said he was still alive, but he was losing a lot of blood. Hermione wet to unstun him, but Fred said no.

"We need to straighten his leg out and make a tourniquet. It will be easier for us and Dad if we do it while he's out." Fred and George, who obviously knew some First Aid, conjured a tourniquet. Both grabbed Mr. Weasley's leg and looked up at each other. "One, Two, Three." On three they both snapped his leg back into place. The noise was spine-chilling. Wiping sweet from his forehead, Fred tied the tourniquet in place. All the while there was silence upon all of them. Hermione suddenly felt a chill behind her. She slowly turned around and was relieved to find nothing. A small glint of light outside the door caught her eye. Hermione walked to the window and looked out. She suppressed a gasp.

Outside the Burrow hundreds of Dark shapes were standing in a circle around something. Perhaps it was Voldemort, Hermione thought, but a closer looks would have told her it was not. This something was fighting against the vampires, ogres, and other demons that were surrounding the Burrow.

"Fred! George! We need to hurry up and wake your Dad." She said in a panic tone as Ginny walked down the steps supporting a half awake Mrs. Weasley.

"Ok. Ok Hermione. Malfoy's been stunned. He's gonna be out for awhile. We have time." Fred said calmly, unaware of the danger that was lurking outside their home.

"No we don't. There's a whole crowd of Death Eaters and other creatures out there. I believe Voldemort is. We can travel by Floo Powder to some place safe. Mr. Weasley can tell us where that is when you wake him up. Hurry, they're getting closer."

Ron, who had been quiet for the past 20 minutes suddenly got his voice back. "They're up on the porch!" He yelled. "We've got to get out of here now!" Ron rushed over to help Fred and George with their Dad. When Mr. Weasley was awake Ron asked where a safe place to go would be. He mentioned the possibility of Floo Powder when his Dad told him that it was impossible to get there with out Apparating.

"Dumbledore's home. Just speak Dumbledore into the fire. It should get us there." Mr. Weasley said in between grunts of pain.

All six Weasleys and Hermione made their way to the fireplace just in time to here the door creaking under the weight of many bodies being thrown up against it. It wouldn't be long before it couldn't take it anymore. This put a little extra urgency in their steps. Fred and George, who were helping Mr. Weasley, were at the back of the group. Mrs. Weasley was doing fine, but Ginny was persistent in holding her arm as they stood in front of the fire. The door was on the brink of collapsing and they had to be quick or all would be lost. Mr. Weasley went first, after a heated debate that lasted until Mrs. Weasley gave him an unnerving look, and he was consumed by the fire. Next went an unhappy Mrs. Weasley and who was then followed by Ginny and next Fred. Hermione was about to go next when she heard the door crash and saw the creatures enter the living room. George screamed for Hermione to go and he would follow, but she was rooted to the spot. Rotting bodies stood before her. The once dead were alive and walking towards her. Vampires bared their elongated canine teeth and Ogres came thudding into the room. George knew she wasn't about to move and they only had seconds. He grabbed a surprised Hermione and they both were launched into the fireplace.

"Dumbledore's!" He screamed. Hermione felt herself being pulled up at a force that made her heart drop to her toes. The fit was tight and she was constantly bumping her elbows on the wall. Hermione lifted her head back to look up when her head hit something solid and she blacked out.


End file.
